Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Our position has been very even-handed in Northern Ireland. We want to be fair to every party. We want total inclusivity, engagement and involvement. We want the democratic process to move forward. People are misconstruing the statements made by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs on this serious issue.

The Government has been consistent in calling for the full endorsement of the new policing arrangements by all political parties without delay. As I stated, the latest report from the oversight commissioner for policing points out that 124 of the 175 Patten report recommendations have now been fully implemented, which is a considerable achievement. Among the outstanding issues, the absence of Sinn Féin from the policing board and the district policing committees is now one of the most significant. Therefore, it is vital that political support for the new arrangements becomes universal so that the reform process can be brought to full fruition.

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